Ed Desmond

Headquartered in The Toy Association’s Washington, D.C., office, Ed Desmond serves as executive vice president of external affairs. He has built a strong and effective advocacy program that addresses key domestic and international issues impacting the toy industry. These issues include: safety, environmental sustainability, global trade (including export restrictions and international counterfeiting), children’s online privacy protection, and more. Desmond oversees the Association’s product safety and standards initiatives, technical affairs, state and federal legislative and regulatory outreach, and related communications programs.

Prior to joining the Association, Desmond served as senior vice president of government affairs with the Entertainment Software Association. Prior to that role, he served as director of government affairs for several multi-national corporations. He began his career as legislative counsel for Rep. Henry Hyde, the former Republican Congressman representing the northern suburbs of Chicago. Desmond is a graduate of California Western School of Law in San Diego.